Delivery of packages by unmanned vehicles, such as unmanned aerial vehicles also referred to at times as “drones,” is a fledgling field with many challenges that remain unsolved in large part. One challenge that has not been adequately resolved is how to ensure safe receipt of a package to the intended recipient. In practice currently (i.e., in non-drone deliveries), packages must either be signed as accepted by the recipient or are left somewhere at the place of delivery. The former is required as the best means of security currently, while the latter often is accompanied by attempts to hide the package from notice.
Yet theft of delivered packages remains a problem for existing channels of delivery, let alone possible forthcoming channels that involve delivery by drones of some sort. Some have attempted to solve this problem with delivery boxes that lock and cannot be accessed without a code. However, these approaches remain subject to other problems, such as adequate protection of the inside of the delivery box (and, thus, received packages) from inclement weather. Further, the prospect of these approaches remain limited in their interfacing with delivery drones and other systems to ensure the avoidance of unnecessary false positives as well as false negatives.
Accordingly, the potential remains for improvements that facilitate the delivery of packages by unmanned vehicles in a manner that provides (at least) sufficient security to the packages delivered, better protection upon delivery from inclement weather, and proper delivery procedures.